Barr delivers in Rio as Treacy finishes 17th in hot steeple final

Barr delivers in Rio as Treacy finishes 17th in hot steeple final

Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) was back to his best in the heats of the men’s 400m hurdles qualifying for the semi-finals with a massive season’s best of 48.93 seconds while Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) finished 17th in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final in 9:52.70 (August 15).

“I’m delighted,” said Barr afterwards on finishing second in heat 4 behind Japan’s Keisuke Nozawa who ran 48.62.

“I didn’t know I’d have that in me,” he continued having struggled with injury for large parts of the year. “To go sub 49 in really my first proper race of the year where I’m actually race fit and ready to go is incredible. I’m as much relieved as I am excited and delighted. I’ve gotten through that with a good time.”

Barr will now go in the third semi-final tomorrow in lane 4 tomorrow (August 16th) with the first two in each qualifying by right and the next two fastest non-automatic qualifiers. He will be looking to chase down Norway’s Karsten Warholm who impressed in qualifying.

Sara Treacy gave it all she had in hot 3,000m steeplechase won by Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet in 8:59.75 – just outside the world record of 8:58.81. It was equally hot in temperature with the trackside thermometer reading 35 degrees Celsius.

“I would like to have run faster but I gave it everything – my legs just wouldn’t give anymore back,” said the Dunboyne athlete afterwards. “It was pretty hot,” Treacy joked afterwards. “It was the same for everyone – although we don’t get much weather like that in Ireland. I used as much recovery strategies as I could. I wanted better but I made it into the Olympic final and I’m more determined for next year.”  

Tori Pena (Finn Valley) is also in qualifying action tomorrow in the women's pole vault.